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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30014685">memories and echoes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerfound/pseuds/dreamerfound'>dreamerfound</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel 616, X-Factor (Comics), X-Men (Comicverse)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, First Kiss, Kissing, Memories, Memory Loss</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 21:46:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,665</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30014685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerfound/pseuds/dreamerfound</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Akihiro doesn’t remember their first kiss, Aurora feels the need to do something about this.</p>
<p>Set after X-Factor #8</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Daken Akihiro/Jeanne-Marie Beaubier</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trope Bingo: Round Sixteen</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>memories and echoes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Spoilers: for X-Factor (2020-) through issue #8<br/>CW: mentions canonical impermanent death</p>
<p>Written for Trope Bingo Round #16: First Time/Last Time</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Aurora yawned. Between getting resurrected, dealing with The Morrigan, the zombie infestation at the Boneyard, and the clean-up that came after, it had been an exhaustingly long day. Now that she'd showered off the muck and goo of the day, she wanted nothing more than several hours of blissfully uninterrupted sleep. But when she glanced out the window and saw Akihiro head out into the night, Aurora knew she needed to follow him. </p>
<p>She was worried about Akihiro. The last thing he remembered before his resurrection, was being impaled and abandoned. He didn’t remember being rescued by Jean-Paul, he didn’t remember being missed by the team. He didn’t even remember her kissing him. The kiss was one of the last things she remembered and for that she was grateful. It had been a good kiss and it made a fantastic memory. It would have been a shame if it had been lost forever, as if it never even happened. She wondered how many mutants' memories had gotten lost between the cracks of death and resurrection since the protocols. Still, a bit of memory loss in exchange for something akin to immortality didn’t seem like a bad trade-off. Not yet anyway.</p>
<p>Making sure to keep a comfortable distance from him, she followed Akihiro as he ventured into the night. He didn’t turn around and she wasn’t sure if it was because he was so deep into his brooding that he didn’t pick up on her presence, or because he was purposefully ignoring her.</p>
<p>Akihiro didn’t stop until he arrived at the Green Lagoon. He sat down at the bar and ordered a beer. Aurora put her hand on his shoulder and he didn't so much as flinch. Apparently, he had known she was there. It figured. “Do you mind if I join you?” She asked. </p>
<p>Akihiro shrugged. She took that as a yes, sat down, and ordered a Virgin Sunset. As tempting as alcohol was, she wanted a clear head. They sat in silence and sipped their drinks. </p>
<p>“Jean-Paul rescued you and brought you back home, you know,” Aurora said when she couldn’t stand the silence anymore.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I know. He filled me in.” He didn’t sound happy about it. She wished he remembered coming home, being missed, and most of all their kiss. If she'd been a telepath she’d be able to simply put her memories of the events he was missing into his head, but she wasn’t. She was going to have to use her words.</p>
<p>“I kissed you,” Aurora said.</p>
<p>Finally, he turned to look at her. “Excuse me?” </p>
<p>“That’s my last memory. You were down in the hot springs, recovering from your injuries. We talked and I asked if I could kiss you. You said yes, so I did.” Aurora smiled and added, “You were in the water -- naked.” </p>
<p>Akihiro raised an eyebrow. “And you?”</p>
<p>“Fully clothed,” Aurora admitted.</p>
<p>“Disappointing,” Akihiro said, but there was a smile on his face and he didn’t look the least bit disappointed. It gave her hope.</p>
<p>“I did get very wet though,” she said.</p>
<p>His grin turned salacious. “Oh, really?” He put so much suggestiveness in those two little words.</p>
<p>She sighed and shook her head. “That wasn’t what I meant.” She finished her drink and stood up. “Do you want to go for a walk? I don’t feel like going back to the Boneyard just yet.” </p>
<p>“Yeah, I’d like that,” Akihiro said.</p>
<p>Aurora slipped her hand in his and they walked aimlessly for a while. She wasn’t in a hurry to get back and she suspected he wasn’t either. It may not still be haunted but it didn't feel quite as safe as it had been before either.</p>
<p>“It seems unfair that you remember our first kiss and I don’t,” Akihiro said after a little while. </p>
<p>She stopped walking. “I suppose it is. Are you planning on doing anything about it, Akihiro?” </p>
<p>“Maybe.”</p>
<p>Aurora really wanted to kiss him again. She took a step closer. “Just maybe?” </p>
<p>He closed the distance between them, brushed a lock of hair away from her face, and said, “Maybe you should kiss me.”</p>
<p>Aurora thought about prolonging the anticipation for a bit longer but she longed for this. They’d both died yesterday and the future was always uncertain. She took his face in her hands and pressed her lips to his. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her close, and deepened the kiss. It was just like she remembered but more so. His kiss was insistent. In his arms, she felt safe and cared for, and yet there was an undercurrent of something dangerous and wild smoldering under his skin. </p>
<p>She didn’t want to let him go, but maybe standing in the middle of the pathway while making out wasn’t one of her best ideas. She pulled away and hated herself a little when she saw the disappointment on Akihiro’s face. She needed to make sure he didn’t think she was rejecting him. “If we’re going to continue this we should probably move somewhere a little less out in the open,” she suggested.</p>
<p>“Do you want to continue this?" Akihiro asked.</p>
<p>There was so much pain and need visible on his face that it hurt a little to look at him. She brushed her thumb against his bottom lip and smiled. “Most definitely,” she said. He rewarded her with a smile.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Good, I know a place, come on.” He linked his fingers with hers and led her further along the path. </p>
<p>They came to a small vine-covered house, high up in a tree. “Is that -- a treehouse?” Aurora asked.</p>
<p>“It is.” Akihiro had a big grin on his face.</p>
<p>She bit her lip. “Does it belong to someone?” She didn’t want to encroach on anyone’s territory.</p>
<p>“I don’t think so, last time I found it I didn't detect any recent scent trails. I don’t think anyone’s been up there for a while.” He shrugged and added, “Maybe not at all.”</p>
<p>“Hmm…” Aurora flew up to check it out. It was empty. There wasn't a lot of space, but it would certainly be big enough for the two of them. He was right, it didn’t seem like anyone had been there recently. She flew back down and landed in front of him. “Seems empty, do you think it’s safe?”</p>
<p>“Only one way to find out,” Akihiro said.</p>
<p>He climbed while she flew and they both got there at the same time. Not that she couldn’t have beat him there if she wanted to, but what would have been the point?</p>
<p>Aurora sat down on the floor, leaned against the wall, and shivered. It seemed cooler in the treehouse. Strange. Akihiro pulled off his cashmere shirt and handed it to her. “Here, you should wear this.” </p>
<p>It was soft and luxurious, but she didn’t want to take the literal clothes off his back. “No, you need it.” She tried handing it back to him. </p>
<p>He shook his head and sat down. “You know I don’t. Perfect physical specimen, remember?” </p>
<p>Aurora laughed and pulled the shirt over her head. It was huge but felt luscious against her skin. When Akihiro turned his head to look out the window, she snuck a sniff of the fabric and smiled. It smelled all warm and musky with a hint of spice. Like him.</p>
<p>They talked about the island, about what it felt like to be resurrected, and what they thought the next steps for the team would be. After a while, they lay down and looked up at the stars through the slats of the treehouse roof. It was peaceful. She liked being with Akihiro. He was arrogant, funny, and much smarter than people gave him credit for. He was also deeply insecure about his self-worth, though he hid it well. Most of the time.</p>
<p>She reached out and traced the lines of his tattoo with her fingers. She liked touching him. He rolled over to his side and pulled her close. They kissed again for a while. Their lips and tongue leisurely tasting and their hands slow and sensual in their exploration. Neither of them seemed to be in any hurry.</p>
<p>When she started to yawn, he chuckled. “Why don’t you try and get some sleep.”</p>
<p>“I’m fine. I don’t need to —“ Another yawn interrupted her and she laughed. “Okay, fine. I’ll just rest my eyes for a minute or two.” She rested her head on his chest, closed her eyes, and promptly fell asleep.</p>
<p>When she opened her eyes again it was light out and she had a very nice up close and personal view of Daken’s chest. Akihiro, she corrected herself in her mind. She preferred using that name rather than his other more distressing moniker. </p>
<p>Akihiro kissed the top of her head. “Morning, you’re going to probably want to check your phone sooner than later. It’s been annoyingly active with those noisy message notifications.”</p>
<p>Oh no. She hadn’t told Jean-Paul that she was going to be out all night. She sat up and grabbed her phone. So many messages, almost all of them from her brother. He was going to kill her. No, wait, scratch that, he was going to kill Akihiro. She quickly texted her brother to let him know that she was alright and would be home soon. She gave Akihiro a quick kiss and showed him her phone. “We need to head back before Jean-Paul sends out a search team.”</p>
<p>He sniffed the air and grimaced. “Too late.”</p>
<p>A moment later she saw Jean-Paul floating in the air outside of the treehouse. “Oops, sorry I forgot to call.” She felt bad about letting it slip her mind. She hadn't wanted to worry her twin.</p>
<p>Jean-Paul ranted in French for several minutes before he gave up and took to the air for the rest of the way back. Aurora didn’t let her brother dampen her mood as she walked hand in hand with Akihiro, all the way home.</p>
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